285.79 Small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance assistance program.

(1) Definition. In this section, “small business stationary source" means a stationary source designated under sub. (2) (a) or, except as provided in sub. (2) (b), a stationary source that satisfies all of the following criteria:

(a) Is owned or operated by a person that employs 100 or fewer individuals.

(b) Is a small business concern, as determined under 15 USC 632 (a).

(c) Is not a major stationary source, as defined in rules promulgated by the department.

(d) Does not emit 50 tons or more per year of any regulated pollutant.

(e) Emits a total of less than 75 tons per year of all regulated pollutants.

(2) Designations and exclusions.

(a) In response to a petition by a stationary source, the department may, by rule, designate as a small business stationary source any stationary source that does not meet the criteria of sub. (1) (c), (d) or (e) but that does not emit a total of more than 100 tons per year of all regulated pollutants.

(b) The department may, by rule, after consultation with the administrators of the federal environmental protection agency and the federal small business administration, exclude from the definition of small business stationary source any category or subcategory of stationary source that the department determines to have sufficient technical and financial capabilities to meet the requirements of the federal clean air act without the assistance provided under this section.

(3) Assistance program. The department shall develop and administer a small business stationary source technical and environmental compliance assistance program. The program shall include all of the following:

(a) Mechanisms to develop, collect and coordinate information concerning methods and technologies that small business stationary sources can use to comply with the federal clean air act and programs to encourage lawful cooperation among small business stationary sources or other persons to further compliance with the federal clean air act.

(b) Mechanisms for providing small business stationary sources with information concerning alternative technologies, process changes, products and methods of operation that help reduce air pollution and with other assistance in pollution prevention and accidental release detection and prevention.

(c) A compliance assistance program that assists small business stationary sources in determining applicable requirements under this chapter and s. 299.15 and in receiving air pollution control permits in a timely and efficient manner.

(d) Mechanisms to ensure that small business stationary sources receive notice of their rights under the federal clean air act and state laws implementing the federal clean air act in a manner and form that assures reasonably adequate time for small business stationary sources to evaluate compliance methods and any relevant or applicable proposed or final regulation or standard issued under the federal clean air act.

(e) Mechanisms for referring small business stationary sources to qualified auditors to determine compliance with the federal clean air act and state laws implementing the federal clean air act and other mechanisms for informing small business stationary sources of their obligations under the federal clean air act and state laws.

(f) Procedures for consideration of a request from a small business stationary source for alteration of any required work practice or technological method of compliance with this chapter or of the schedule of measures that must be taken to implement a required work practice or method of compliance before an applicable compliance date, based on the technological and financial capability of the small business stationary source.

(4) Granting alterations. The department may not grant an alteration under sub. (3) (f) unless the alteration complies with the requirements of the federal clean air act and any applicable plan under s. 285.11 (6). If those applicable requirements are set forth in federal regulations, the department may only grant alterations authorized in those regulations.

History: 1991 a. 302; 1995 a. 227 s. 462; Stats. 1995 s. 285.79; 2011 a. 32.